India now has to pay for Brahmaputra flood data

New Delhi, Aug 22 (PTI) The crucial flood data of Brahmaputra river being shared by China with India will no longer come for free।

India will now have to make payments for receiving the data that helps it prepare in advance for floods as the two countries recently signed a fresh five-year MoU।

Under the MoU, China will provide India the hydrological information, including water level, discharge and rainfall from its three stations located at Nugesha, Yangcun and Nuxia from June 1 to October 15 every year।

The details will enable India to improve flood forecasting and timely warning for mitigation measures।

The data was being given to India for free from 2002 but China now wants payment for the information it would send between 2008 and 2012, sources in the Union Water Resources Ministry told PTI।

"After a fresh bilateral understanding, we will have to provide a token amount to it to maintain the staff and equipment at the monitoring stations located in inhospitable terrains," the sources said, adding modalities would be worked out later।

New Delhi had first entered into a MoU with Beijing for sharing of hydrological information on downstream Brahmaputra river in flood season by China in 2002।

The Brahmaputra originates in south-west Tibet as Yarlung Tsangpo. It is also called Yarlung Zangbo in China.

Vijender loses semifinal bout, settles for bronze

Beijing, Aug 22 (PTI) Vijender could not be the alchemist and turn his bronze into gold but today's semifinal defeat could not deny him the honour of being India's first Olympic medal winning boxer।

Cuban Emilio Correa Bayeaux simply outsmarted the Indian 8-5 to win the 75kg category semifinal in a comprehensive manner and the outcome meant Vijender had to be content with the bronze, which he was already assured of।

The Cuban negated Vijender's height and reach advantages by playing from a distance। He simply did not allow Vijender land a single blow in the first, third and fourth rounds.

Even two penalty points in the final round could not make any difference for the Cuban had tilted the game in his favour a long away।

Surprisingly, barring the second round, Vijender held himself back throughout the bout and mostly sprayed his punches।

Emilio, son of 1972 Munich Games gold medallist Emilio Correa Vaillant, was precise with his blows। He did not resort to wild arm swinging or uppercuts but relied mostly on straight punches, which paid him rich dividends.

Clearly the faster of the two, Emilio led 3-0 early in the second round and though a desperate Vijender managed to reduce the gap to 4-3 by the end of the round, the Cuban proved his superiority again in the lop-sided third round that virtually sealed the fate of the bout।

"Once he went 3-0 ahead, a comeback was always difficult. I tried my best and reduced the gap in the second round but could not really pull it off," a dejected Vijender said after the bout.